On March 27, deputies from the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Police were sent to the Road Ranger Gas Station at 4980 South Main St., just south of Rockford, for a report of a man who had exposed himself to an employee, according to a release from the sheriff’s police.

The station clerk told deputies that the man had exposed himself while in the store and also while in a car in the store’s parking lot, according to the release. Other employees and customers were in the store at the time.

The man had left the area before deputies arrived at the store, but they obtained his license plate number, which led them to Brodeski.

In a statement, Rockford Diocese officials asked “for all people of the diocese to pray for Monsignor Brodeski and the legal process that will resolve this case.”

Diocese officials said that Winnebago County authorities alerted the diocese last month that they were investigating an alleged incident involving Brodeski.

“In full cooperation with authorities, Monsignor Brodeski agreed to be immediately placed on personal leave from his priestly assignment at Holy Cross Parish in Batavia, and was sent for evaluation and possible treatment for any difficulties affecting his conduct and ministry,” the statement said. “Following Monsignor Brodeski’s return from evaluation, the diocese learned that the investigation resulted in his arrest.”

Brodeski was ordained in 1998, according to the diocese. His first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Crystal Lake and religion teacher at Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock.

In 1999, he began to coordinate Rock 2000, a summer event for youths and young adults centered on the Eucharist and the sacraments, according to the diocese. Brodeski was made associate diocesan director of vocations and the spiritual adviser for the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry in 2000.

He also was pastor of St. Mary Parish in Byron, invested with the title of monsignor in 2008, according to the diocese.